Supporting dyspraxic employees through workplace change
This is the fifth and final post in a short series designed to help employers support dyspraxic adults – and, in doing so, more inclusive of neurodiversity. All recommendations are drawn from my lived experience of dyspraxia.
In earlier posts, we’ve explored what dyspraxia is, how to make recruitment more neuroinclusive, how to support dyspraxic employees through induction, and how to adapt day-to-day work for colleagues with DCD. In this final instalment, we turn to a reality of modern working life: change.
Because for dyspraxic employees, change isn’t always just change – it can feel like starting again.
Treat workplace reconfigurations like a new environment
People with DCD tend to struggle with processing and remembering new visual-spatial information.
If an existing workplace is reconfigured – whether that’s a new layout, desk move, or redesign – it’s important to recognise that this can feel like an entirely new space for a dyspraxic employee.
What may seem like a minor adjustment to some can be highly disruptive for dyspraxics.
Treat these changes as you would a new-starter experience:
Offer guidance
Allow time to adjust
Avoid assuming swift familiarity
Provide support in new locations
If an employee with DCD is moving to a new office or site, ensure that someone familiar is available to support them, particularly in the early days.
Having a consistent point of contact who can guide them around and answer questions can make a significant difference to how quickly and comfortably dyspraxic colleagues settle in.
Use maps and visual aids
While real-world, three-dimensional navigation can be challenging, some dyspraxic people find two-dimensional representations – like maps – much easier to process.
Providing a simple map of the workspace or building can be a helpful reference point, allowing the employee to build familiarity at their own pace.
Some dyspraxics find the simplest of maps difficult, however, so don’t assume this will work for all.
Support changes to processes and procedures
Change isn’t always physical, it’s often procedural.
If systems, workflows or expectations change, ensure dyspraxic employees are given the time and support they need to adapt. This might include:
Clear written instructions
Step-by-step guidance
Opportunities to practise new processes
Many people with DCD struggle to remember verbal instructions. Avoid relying solely on spoken explanations, therefore – especially during periods of transition.
Be thoughtful about roles during change
If a dyspraxic employee is in a managerial role, it’s important to apply the same principles of support.
It may not be reasonable to expect them to take the lead on physically organising or reconfiguring spaces during periods of change. This doesn’t reflect capability; it reflects how dyspraxia affects spatial processing.
Play to strengths, and allocate responsibilities accordingly.
Offer extra support with new equipment and facilities
New environments often come with new equipment – printers, systems, layouts, and tools.
These can present additional challenges, particularly when they involve unfamiliar sequences or spatial set-ups.
Offer hands-on support and clear instructions, and allow time for the dyspraxic employee to become confident using new facilities.
Final thoughts
Workplace change is inevitable. But neuro-exclusion doesn’t have to be.
With awareness, planning and a willingness to make small adjustments, you can ensure that change doesn’t become a barrier for dyspraxic employees, but an opportunity for them to continue thriving – and to increase their personal confidence with how they manage change.
Working with me
If you’d like to go beyond awareness and take practical steps towards becoming a more neurodiversity-friendly organisation, I offer dyspraxia talks and workplace consultancy tailored to employers.
Feel free to get in touch to find out more.
